for fear of their offering violence to it: but it went, and no hurt done.
Then I took an opportunity, when they were all gone into the foreyarde,
and slipt into the office and there busy all the afternoon, but by and by
the women got into the garden, and come all to my closett window, and
there tormented me, and I confess their cries were so sad for money, and
laying down the condition of their families and their husbands, and what
they have done and suffered for the King, and how ill they are used by us,
and how well the Dutch are used here by the allowance of their masters,
and what their husbands are offered to serve the Dutch abroad, that I do
most heartily pity them, and was ready to cry to hear them, but cannot
helpe them. However, when the rest were gone, I did call one to me that I
heard complaine only and pity her husband and did give her some money, and
she blessed me and went away. Anon my business at the office being done I
to the Tower to speak with Sir John Robinson about business, principally
the bad condition of the pressed men for want of clothes, so it is
represented from the fleete, and so to provide them shirts and stockings
and drawers. Having done with him about that, I home and there find my
wife and the two Mrs. Bateliers walking in the garden. I with them till
almost 9 at night, and then they and we and Mrs. Mercer, the mother, and
her daughter Anne, and our Mercer, to supper to a good venison-pasty and
other good things, and had a good supper, and very merry, Mistresses
Bateliers being both very good-humoured. We sang and talked, and then led
them home, and there they made us drink; and, among other things, did show
us, in cages, some birds brought from about Bourdeaux, that are all fat,
and, examining one of them, they are so, almost all fat. Their name is
[Ortolans], which are brought over to the King for him to eat, and indeed
are excellent things. We parted from them and so home to bed, it being
very late, and to bed.

11th. Up, and by water to Sir G. Downing's, there to discourse with him